Safety switch



J. F. LAUPER SAFETY SWITCH Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,270

Filed Oct. 24, 1927 li atenten l 42, i928;

beta2@ JOEE@ F. LAUPER, GF HOLLANDALE, EVSCGNSIINL SAFETY SWITCH.

Application filed ctober'24, 19527. Serial No 228,348.

This invention relates to a safety switch for telephones, radios and thelike, the general object the invention being to provide means fordisconnecting the inside wires from the outside wires by a simpleturning mov nnent oiL a switch part so that there is no danger oflightning entering the house over the wires.

This invention also consists in certain other features or" construction'and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings7and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

ln describing my invention in detail, rer"- erei'ice will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several vi ews, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved switch. y

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fige Figure is a plan view of thestationary member of the switch.

`Figure et is a bottom plan view of the movable member thereof.

Figure is a side view of the movable member.

Figure is a sectional view through the ationary member.

Figures 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the switch in its twopositions.

ln these views7 1 indicates the stationary member of the switch which isformed with a central socket 2 in its bottom and with four bottom rec es3 which extend inwardly from the sides. This member 1 has a flat topwhich is pr vided with an annular groove 4lwhieli isarranged over theinner ends of the recesses 3 and the bottom of the groove is providedwith four flat parts 5 which are separated by conc-ave'd portions 6formed in the bottom ot' the groove. Terminal ser-ews i' pass throughthe Hat portions into the recesses 3 and the conductors 8, leading tothe radio, telephone or other electrical erolianee fL stened to two ofthese 1 e mts 9 which are arranged in the recesses and the ground wireand the wire 11 leading 'to the aerial or to a main line are connectedwith the other two screws by nuts 9, the conductors passing through theouter portions of the recesses.

The movable member 12 of the switch has a depending stem 13 screwed orkotherwise fastened to the member 12 and this stem passes through a holeformed in the top of the stationary member and extends into the socket 2where it receives a spring 14: which is held on the stem by a lockingdisk 15 which engages a groove 16 formed in th lower end of the stem.Thus the movable member is yieldingly held on the stationary member andmay be rotated thereon. The member 12 is provided with a flange 17 whichextends into the groove t of the stationary member and the loweredge ofsaid Flange is formed with the four convex parts 18 for engaging theconcaved parts 6 and the four flat parts 19 for engaging the fiat parts5 of the member 1. Both portions of the switch are formed ofnon-conducting material and metal plates 20 are fastened to two of theportions 18 and extend over the adjacent flat parts 19. The plates arearranged diametrically opposite each other.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the member 12 is in oneposition, one of the metal plates will bridge the terminal screws of theconductors 8 and 11 and the other the terminal screws of the secondconductor 8 and the conductor 10, as shown in Figures 7, so that thecurrent will pass to the electrical instrument in the house, but whenthe member 12 has been given a quarter turn, one plate will bridge theterminal screws of the two conductors 8 and the other plate will bridgethe terminal sorews of the conductors 10 and 11 so that the circuittothe instrument will be broken and the main wire 11 will beelectrically connected to the ground wire 10, as shown inFigure 8. Thusthere is no danger of lightning entering the house. By making the bottomof the groove and the bottom of the flange 7 as shown7 and by providingthe spring 11i, a good electrical connection is provided between theparts as the rictional engagement between the plates 20 and the terminalscrews will keep these parts in firm engagement and the turning`movement will keep the parts clean.

1t is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and.novel Jfeatures of my invention rWill be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make Changes 1n the constructionand 1n the combination and arrangement of the several parts, providedthat such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:-

A switch or' the class described oomprising a stationary part and amovable part, means for yieldingly Connecting the tWo parts together,the stationary part having an annular'groove therein formed With fourflat portions in its bottom and four Concaved portions in its bottomwhich are .placed JOHN F. LAUPER.

